Millions of people every day are struggling with serious anxiety problems, yet many of these same people do not know where to find effective treatment for their condition. There are ways to treat your anxiety and reclaim your life. If you are tired of feeling anxious, the tips in this article can help.

Separate yourself from things that cause you anxiety for a few hours every day. If you find that thinking about something too often is making you anxious, go on a walk or somewhere you like for a while. Thinking about something too much can just make it worse, so keep your mind occupied.

If you frequently suffer from attacks of anxiety, don’t suffer in silence. See a doctor or therapist who can help you to overcome the anxiety before it turns into other problems, such as panic attacks or generalized anxiety disorder. There are therapies and medications that will help you to overcome anxiety problems.

Proper breathing is essential to reducing sudden feelings of anxiety. Using a count to control your breathing can be an effective way to reduce anxious feelings. Pick a count, such as 3 in, and 3 out. Repeat this pattern, until the feelings of anxiety have resolved, and passed.

If anxiety has got you feeling you down, one way to help lessen your angst is to exercise. When you exercise, it releases positive endorphins in the brain which have you feeling better. Not only will you feel more positive, and decrease the stress that is causing your anxiety, you will get in good shape, too!

Do not worry alone. When your worrisome thoughts go unchecked, they can easily spiral into terrible doomsday scenarios unnecessarily. Call a friend or supportive loved one, and run your fears past them. They can probably offer you some reassurance and perspective on what is bothering you, keeping your fears under control.

Although you may not think so, laughter is actually good for treating anxiety. Watch a funny movie, read a book that makes you chuckle, or call a funny friend to get yourself laughing for some good therapy.

When you are on anxiety medication, never stop taking it without talking to your doctor. Even if you feel like you are better, you still cannot just stop. Some of these medications can make you very ill and can even be deadly if you just stop all of a sudden.

If you suffer from anxiety, try your best to quit smoking, as soon as possible. Smoking reduces the functionality of many different organs in your body, putting you in a position where you may be more stressed than usual. Quitting smoking can refresh your body and increase your overall outlook on life.

Try out deep breathing to alleviate heavy breathing during anxiety attacks. Certain individuals tend to hyperventilate during periods of anxiety, and it is important for those people to focus on diaphragmatic breathing instead. Taking deep breaths, deep enough that your stomach moves with each inhale and exhale, can help lessen your anxiety.

Try creating your own anxious worrying period. Choose a single or two 10 minute spots each day where you can worry and just feel anxious. During this worry period, try focusing only on the anxious, negative thoughts without trying to correct them. The rest of the day should remain anxiety-free.

Make sure that you talk to somebody about what you are going through. It doesn’t have to be a medical professional. When you keep all of you thoughts and feelings bottled up, they can come back worse. Getting out these things can help you to be in a better state of mind and have less anxiety.

Find a hobby. When your mind is idle, it is free to worry. Instead of sitting and dwelling on whatever is making you anxious, find something that you enjoy doing to serve as a distraction. If you don’t have a hobby already, start looking for one. Whether you start knitting, constructing model cars, or restoring old furniture, you give your mind something to focus on besides the fear. As a bonus, having a hobby that you enjoy can reduce your stress levels all around.

Laughter really is the best medicine. Laughter has long had a reputation for being good for the mind. If you have ever seen contagious laughter in action, you know this to be true. The next time you feel anxiety and worry building up, put on your favorite funny movie or album of stand-up comedy. Even if you don’t feel like it when it starts, you will quickly find yourself in a better mood by the end.

Learn to feel the anxiety in your body. Focus on where it is located, such as a tight chest feeling, and stay focused on it until the feeling dissolves. This may seem difficult at first, but with just a bit of practice you will be able to release anxious feelings within seconds or a few minutes.

Have a mantra to repeat when you are feeling some anxiety. When you start to feel anxious, repeat this mantra until you begin to calm down. This will help you deal with those feelings before they get on top of you and you have a full blown anxiety attack.

Be sure that you get enough sleep every night if you have anxiety. Lack of sleep will increase anxiety. Anxiety can cause increased discomfort without sleep. Strive to sleep around 8 hours every night.

Listen to music. However, not just any music will do. The next time you feel your anxiety levels rising, throw on your favorite CD, or playlist. Whether you enjoy the calming sounds of a classical orchestra, or rocking out to 80’s hair metal, you will feel your anxiety melt away with each song you know by heart. Before you know it, the anxiety is reduced, if not gone, and your spirits will be invigorated and renewed.

Anxiety can be more than just a mildly irritating feeling of stress. For many people, it can be a serious medical condition that affects their entire lives. Fortunately, there are effective treatments that can let people control their anxiety. The advice you have read this article can help you get started.